Fibrous blanket materials of various polymers including but not limited to polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene, nylon and rayon, as well as natural fibers and fiberglass are known to be useful for a number of purposes. Exemplary of the many applications for these materials are office screens and partitions, ceiling tiles, building panels and various vehicle applications including use as hood liners, head liners, floor liners and trim panels.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,886,306 to Patel et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,358,592 to Vair, Jr. et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,766,029 to Brock et al. are representative of the state of the art. The Patel et al. patent relates to a layered acoustical insulating web comprising a series of cellulose fiber layers sandwiched between a layer of melt-blown or spunbond thermoplastic fibers such as polypropylene and a layer of film, foil, paper or spunbond thermoplastic fibers.
The Vair, Jr. et al. patent relates to a melt-blown fibrous insulation including a fibrous layer of randomly oriented, air laid, thermoplastic fibers and two thin integral skins. The skins include fine holes or openings that exhibit a significant airflow resistivity that not only reflect sound waves but also function as an airflow resistance barrier that enhances sound absorption properties.
The Brock et al. patent relates to a semi-permeable non-woven laminate that incorporates polypropylene and polyethylene sandwiched between two spunbond layers of polypropylene.